State of Michigan Archives: on Immigration

Tudor Dixon: Housing migrant children supports criminal cartels

Gary Peters: DACA has provided relief to thousands of young people

Gary Peters: "The DACA program has helped provide relief to thousands of hardworking young people." Opposed redirecting funds from already allocated programs to pay for a border wall. Cites difficulties farmers face in getting work visas for seasonal workers.

John James: "We're putting DREAMers in a terrible position," but has not expressed support for DACA. "There are some areas where a wall or fence may be the best solution, but I would leave that to Homeland Security."

Bill Schuette: Joined 2016 lawsuit to block DACA expansion

Bill Schuette (R): Declined to comment during campaign, but joined 2016 lawsuit to block DACA expansion.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Supports clean DREAM Act that protects Dreamers from deportation & offers a path to citizenship.

Gretchen Whitmer: Protect DREAMers from deportation; offer path to citizenship

Bill Schuette (R): Declined to comment during campaign, but joined 2016 lawsuit to block DACA expansion.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Supports clean DREAM Act that protects Dreamers from deportation & offers a path to citizenship.

John James: We must end illegal immigration & secure the border

John James (R): No public statement found. But opposes path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants. "We must end illegal immigration" & secure the border.

Debbie Stabenow (D): Yes. Voted for original 2007 DACA bill that failed to pass. Has supported more money for border funding, mixed votes on path to citizenship.

John James: Proponent of Kate's Law; defund sanctuary cities

John James: No nonsense view of illegal immigration--has to stop now

Abdul El-Sayed: Support pathway to citizenship

Bob Young: Penalize the insanity of sanctuary cities

A: I think a nation has the absolute right to know who's in the country and whether their lawfully or not. That's just a given. I don't really understand a contrary view that the nation does not have the right to enforce its integrity by identifying excluding if they choose, people that come into the country.

Q: What's your opinion on sanctuary cities?

A: There's a bill in the house now to penalize cities in Michigan who take that position and I think that's the absolute right response to that insanity.

A: What about a pathway to citizenship?

Q: My view is that any solution now to immigration must exclude the possibility of rewarding those who came into the country illegally with a pathway to citizenship. Whatever we do with that population we cannot by virtue of violating our laws allow them to become citizens.

Bob Young: We have the right to kick out people we don't want here

A: We have the right to know who's in our country, I mean I can't even understand the contrary argument. We have a right to know who's in our country, we have a right to kick people out that we don't want here. I absolutely agree with the president that we have to have a sane border policy.

Marcia Squier: Support pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens

A: Support

Abdul El-Sayed: Biracial families like mine inspire more diverse government

As the son of Egyptian immigrants, El-Sayed recognized the unlikeliness of his candidacy. However, he stressed that his background of coming from a biracial family reflects the goals he has for Michigan to become more inclusive. "This is the American family I grew up in," El-Sayed said. "We didn't always agree. The one thing we could agree upon was our future, that we could believe in this society regardless of background."

Opposite to what some have said about his campaign, El-Sayed said his background and religious differences won't hinder him, but will hopefully inspire a more diverse government. "If you're not going to vote for me because I'm Muslim, you weren't going to vote for me anyway," he said.

Abdul El-Sayed: People who look like me are not sitting on the sidelines

His supporters say his family reflects the diversity of the state. His parents are immigrants who left Egypt in pursuit of greater opportunity in America and other family members are farmers, teachers, and small-business owners who have lived in Gratiot County for generations.

Last month, Trump ordered a controversial ban on travel for immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries wracked by terrorism including Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Bill Schuette: It isn't a ban on Muslims; Trump puts security first

Jack Bergman: Immigration is a privilege, not a right

The American people deserve to have secure national borders, and communities that are safe from foreign criminals and terrorists. While walls and fences can serve as deterrents at the border, to truly stop illegal immigration--including the estimated 40-50 percent of all illegals that simply overstay their visas--we must make the federal online E-Verify program that verifies a new employee's legal status before they are hired, mandatory for use by all employers.

Brenda Lawrence: Refugees aren't terrorist; that's just more fear tactics

Brenda Lawrence: Yes, Michigan is an ideal place for refugees to relocate. The 14th District in particular has very diverse and welcoming communities. The stringent process that refugees go through to obtain that special status is very thorough and takes years. Talking points of refugees being terrorist is just more fear tactics. Refugees have been successfully relocating to Michigan for years without any issues and are making contributions to our Michigan economy.

Marcia Squier (Green Party): Throughout history, our great nation has been a place of refuge for people displaced by war and acts of terror. There is a stark contrast this time, however. We are the ones supplying the Middle East with weapons. We are exacerbating their reason for seeking refugee status in the first place.

Marcia Squier: Moratorium on deportation of undocumented immigrants

Marcia Squier: I do support a moratorium on the deportation of undocumented immigrants whose children were born in the United States. We should also give all such parents the opportunity to become legally recognized.

Rep. Brenda Lawrence (Dem.): Yes.

Q: Do you favor the deportation of all undocumented immigrants?

Marcia Squier: I do not support the deportation of all undocumented immigrants. I support giving them the opportunity to become legally recognized.

Brenda Lawrence: No.

Dave Trott: Secure our nation's borders before discussing reform

Mike Bishop: Opposed to any amnesty

Mike Bishop: Protect the border and prevent illegal entry

Bishop: Strongly Agree

Terri Lynn Land: No amnesty; seal the border; more H-1B visas

My Michigan First Plan for Immigration:
• Secure the Border: The US-Mexico border should be effectively sealed with a combination of fencing, more US Border Patrol agents and new, high-tech monitoring devices.
• No Amnesty: The US should not give amnesty to illegal immigrants.
• Modernize Visa Tracking: This is a data problem, and we have the technology to fix it.
• Increase High-Tech Visas: The H-1B visa program needs to be modernized so that we can add more highly skilled workers.
• Update Green Card Program: Our industrialized allies have made employer-based immigration a high priority and America should do the same.
• Shorten Wait Times: A better legal immigration system rewards people for playing by the rules and discourages people from trying to enter the US illegally.
• Employer Verification: We need to make sure our businesses have the tools they need to effectively verify the status of employees.

Rick Snyder: 50,000 skilled worker visas to repopulate Detroit

The EB-2 visas would be aimed at individuals with advanced degrees and exceptional skills in fields like the auto industry and life sciences, Snyder said. EB-2 visas allow individuals with special talents to enter the country without a job offer. There is no precedent for special visas to be issued for a specific geographic area, Snyder said. But he compared the program to a current one that grants visas to physicians who agree to work in under-served areas.

"Where else could you find a house for the prices you're going to find here? It's a good deal," Snyder said.

Jennifer Granholm: If we want true American exceptionalism, fix immigration

Randy Hekman: Secure the borders but encourage legal immigration

Rick Snyder: Openly encourages innovators and entrepreneurs to immigrate

Debbie Stabenow: Opposed immigration bill because it cost us jobs

STABENOW: I voted no, because it went too far and cost us jobs. I do think it’s important to have border security and legal system that is fair and effective. My focus is on our jobs that we’re losing because of failed policies.

BOUCHARD: Border security is big issue for me. I’m against illegal immigration. 52% of illegal immigrants caught had criminal backgrounds. She voted for and then against border fence.

Mike Bouchard: 52% of illegal immigrants have criminal backgrounds

STABENOW: I voted no, because it went too far and cost us jobs. I do think it’s important to have border security and legal system that is fair and effective. My focus is on our jobs that we’re losing because of failed policies.

BOUCHARD: Border security is big issue for me. I’m against illegal immigration. 52% of illegal immigrants caught had criminal backgrounds. She voted for and then against border fence.

Jennifer Granholm: Signed law protecting immigrants from scam "consultants"

Bret McAtee: We need a sane immigration policy